Multiple filament lamp control



Sept. 14, 1937. F A W|LK|NS 2,092,996

MULTIPLE FILAMENT LAMP CONTROL Filed May 9, i936 Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to electric lamps and particularly to the multiple lament type lamp and its control. A primary object of my invention is to provide a multiple lilament lamp or a 5 lamp that may be operated to produce two or more degrees of illumination, which lamp may be operated from the standard lamp socket now customarily employed without having to provide an enlarged socket and make the necessary rewiring therefor.

A still further important object of my invention is to provide a simplified switching mechanism incorporated directly in the lamp base or in an adapting socket therefor, whereby varying degrees of illumination may be had from the one lamp under simple control at a relatively low cost to the purchaser of the lamp. Other objects and advantages reside in the unique combination of the various elements permitting the above objects to be achieved and also in the efliciency of current, universality of use of the lamp, and general design permitting a neat unobtrusive structure.

I accomplish such objects and advantages as well as others which will become apparent to those versed in the art in one particular form of my invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawing, it being understood that the illustration and description are illustrative of one form and are in no sense to be construed as limitations thereof.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the lamp in partial section embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, a detail on an enlarged scale of the lamp base in front elevation in partial section;

Fig. 3, a transverse horizontal section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a detail in vertical transverse section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a detail in transverse vertical section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6, a wiring diagram, and

Fig. 1, a sisde elevation in partial section of an adapter embodying my invention.

Like characters of reference indicate likerparts throughout the several views in the drawing.

As indicated in Fig. l, the lamp ID is provided with two filaments Il and I2, one intended to give a greater degree of illumination than the other. For example, the filament I I could be designed for fifty watts and the filament I2 for one hundred watts whereby a selection could be made of operating the fifty Watt element separately,

the one hundred watt separately and then using both elements in parallel for the greater degree of illumination employing one hundred and fifty watts.

The lamp end is secured in the usual and customary manner by a cement filling I3 in a base 5 I4. The upper end of the base I4 has a portion I5 reduced in diameter from that part of the base surrounding the upper part of the lamp and is preferably provided with a screw thread I6 over which is fitted a metal ferrule I'I'having correl0 sponding threads formed therein to engage the thread I6 of the base portion and at the same time to provide external threads of the standard formation to engage in the standard lamp socket.

The base I4 is provided with a slot I8 at one l5 end of which by means of a pin I9 is pivotally mounted a switch lever 20 to extend from the pin I9 through the slot and project therebeyond on the opposite side to have an operating end 2| available externally of the base. The lever 20 is 20 normally rocked against the rupper side of the slot I8 by any suitable means such as a spring 22 here shown as having one end inserted in the lever and the other end bearing against the lower side of the slot. 25

The base portion I5 is formed to have a hollow interior, here shown as rectilinear in cross section. Within this chamber formed in the portion I5, is mounted a drum 23 to be revoluble about a centrally located pin 24 extending transversely 30 through the portion I5 and across the chamber therein. On one end of the drum 23 is formed a 5 ratchet wheel 25, and a. pawl 26 having its lower end pivotally secured to the lever 20 extends upwardly therefrom into ratchet engagement with 35 the ratchet wheel 25. A spring 2'I urges the upper end of the pawl 26 against the periphery of the ratchet wheel 25. The teeth of the wheel 25 are so formed that downward movement of the lever 20 causes the upper end of the pawl to en- 40 gage with the tooth then presented so that the drum 23 may be revolved accordingly. Release of the lever 20 permits the pawl to be lifted and thereby engage the next tooth by vertical reciprocating motion of the lever 2D, the drum 23 45 may be intermittently revolved one tooth distance at a time.

The i'loor of the chamber formed in the upper base portion l5 is provided with two grooves 28 and 29 extending thereacross at right angles to 50 the drum axis. A finger 30 carried by a foot 3| is mounted to extend upwardly from the groove 29 by means of the foot 3| being secured in the groove as indicated in Fig. 5. Likewise a finger 32 is mounted by the foot 33 in the groove 28 to 55 extend upwardly therefrom. These lingers 30 and 32 are of a yielding elastic material and are formed to have their upper ends bear normally against peripheral parts of the drum 23.

The drum 23 is provided with reduced diameter portions above the respective grooves 23 and Z9. That portion of the drum 23 immediately above the groove 29 is provided with a circumferential Contact segment 3d and a second circumferential Contact segment 35 spaced from the segment 34. Also that portion of the drum 23 above the groove 28 is provided with a circumferential contact segment 36 and a second contact segment 3l. The segments 35 and 36 are spaced around the drum to be at the same radial position whereas the segment 3ll is half way between, in radial position, the segments 35, 35 and the segment 34, the segment 34 being likewise positioned `,half way around the drum from the segment 3l and the segments 35, 33.

Theiilaments Ii and i2 of the lamp l0 have a common wire 38 leading through the lamp end in sealed manner to be connected with the ferrule Il. Wires 39 and ll'leading from the other terminal ends of the respective laments lead from the vlamp and are connected respectively to the basesof the lingers 3l.) and `32 respectively.

A ybase cover l lits over the upper open end of the chamber within the base portion l5 and is there secured by means of an inturned annular flangeon the end of the ferrule ll. The central portion of the'cover M extends upwardly beyond the plane of the securing flange of the ferrule Il vand carries in a protruding manner there- 'from the head l2 of a screw which extends through rthe cover to vscrew threadedly engage a rectilinear plate 43 on the under side which clamps a bus bar il@ between it and the under side of the cover. vThe plate i3 being rectilinear is shaped Vto lit between three sides of the chamber within the base portion l5 to prevent rotation of the 'cover lli as the -ferrule ll may be drawn down thereover. The lingers .Ell and 32 above referred to extend upwardly adjacent one side wall of the chamber in the plug portion l5. On the same side of the chamber as these lingers appear, are a pair of spaced lingers d5 and 136 integrally extending from the'bus bar lll and turned downwardly to have their lower ends arranged to be in the paths of and to bear compressively against the segments presented by the vdrum 23.

In operating the switching mechanism above described, it is assumed that the lever 2i] has been pulled down and released to revolve the drum 23 to bring the segment 313 into the position shown in Fig. 5 wherein both the lower linger 3i! and the upper linger l5 bear on the common segment 34. The direction of rotation of the drum is that indicated by the arrow, counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 5. In this position a circuit is established from the head of the screw 42 through the linger fie, the segment 33, the linger 33, the wire 33, the iilament ll and the ferrule il. Thus the lamp lil when screwed into the vsocket'will have its filament Il energized to produce the minimum illumination. f

Pulling the switch lever '2S down again and releasing it will revolve the drum 23 in its next is on screw 42 through the linger 46, segment 3l, linger 32, wire lll), filament l2, and the wire 38 to the ferrule Il, thereby placing the larger filament in the circuit to be energized without including the iilament il.

A subsequent operation of the lever 2li revolves the drum 23 one more step in which position, there again are no segments bridging any of the fingers and therefore both iilaments remain unenergized. A followingoperationof the switch lever 2l! will bring the segment 35 around to bridge lingers l5 and 30 and the segment 36 to bridge simultaneously lingers 46 and 32, thereby placing both filaments il and l2 in parallel circuit between the ferrule Il and the screw 42.

It is to be noted that the drum 23 between the various segments at the trailing ends thereof 'particularly is relieved so that a snap action is obtained as these lingers leave those segments relatively. In this manner, there is a quick disengagement of the contacting members so as to reduce the arcing period.

In the description so far made, the lamp is secured to the base lli but it is possible to employ one of the standard two lilament lamps now on the market having a special end which is considerably larger than the standard ferrule end. In order to provide such a standard lamp, my invention can be incorporated in an adapter 50, Fig. 7, wherein a standard ferrule 5l is employed about an upper end of the adapter and an internal ferrule 52 is carried within the adapter to receive the enlarged lamp end. In the portion of the adapter surrounded by the ferrule 5|, I incorporate the same switching mechanism as above described as being contained in the base portion l5. The three wire circuit connections are made in any suitable manner such as by carrying ya wire 53 from the internal ferrule 52 up through the adapter to connect with the standard external ferrule 5l. A contact ring 54 is mounted centrally above the inner end of the ferrule 52 and has a wire 55 leading up to one of the lingers in the switching mechanism. A center lconnector 5t preferably of spring formation is employed in the usual manner and has a wire 5i leading up to the other finger of the switching mechanism. This adapter may then be employed inthe standard socket to receive the special two lament lamp.

While I have above described my invention in the one particular form, it is entirely obvious that structural variations such as using more filaments in the lamp with additional switching segments on the drum and the like may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.'

I claim:

l. In a multiplegii-lament lamp having a base of insulation with a cavity therein, an insulating cover closing said cavity, an axial terminal extending through the cover, a metallic sleeve ferrule for socket. attachment litting over and secured to 'said base around that portion thereof including said cavity, a flange inturned from said ferrule over said cover to retain the cover in iixed position, a drum rotatably positioned within said cavity on a transverse shaft, a plurality of electrical contacts spaced one from the other on said drum, upper contact fingers carried by said cover and each connected with said terminal to extend yieldingly against said drum in the paths of said contacts, lower contact lingers iixed in said cavity to be pressed yieldingly against said drum, whereby said drum contacts selectively interconnect said upper and lower ngers electrically with said terminal upon suitable rotation of said drum, a ratchet mechanism for rotating the drum, a ratchet operating member extending from said base below said ferrule, a separate filament being provided in said lamp for and in electrical connection with each of said lower fingers, and all of said filaments being electrically connected with said ferrule.

2. In a multiple. filament lamp having a base of insulation with a cavity therein, an insulating cover closing said cavity, an axial terminal extending through the cover, a metallic sleeve ferrule for socket attachment fitting over and secured to'said base around that portion thereof including said cavity, a fiange inturned from said ferrule over said cover to retain the cover in fixed position, a drum rotatably positioned within said cavity on a transverse shaft, a plurality of electrical contacts spaced one from the other on said drum, upper contact fingers carried by said cover and each connected with said terminal to extend yieldingly against said drum in the paths of said contacts, lower contact fingers fixed in said cavity to be pressed yieldingly against said drum, whereby said drum contacts selectively interconnect said upper and lower fingers electrically with said terminal upon suitable rotation of said drum, a ratchet mechanism for rotating the drum, a ratchet operating member extending from said base below said ferrule, a separate filament being provided in said lamp for and in electrical connection with each of said lower fingers, and all of said filaments being electrically connected with said ferrule, said lower fingers being mounted in grooves in the fioor of said cavity and being electrically insulated one from the other.

3. In a multiple filament lamp having a base of insulation with a cavity therein, an insulating cover closing said cavity, an axial terminal extending through the cover, a metallic sleeve ferrule for socket attachment fitting over and secured to said base around that portion thereof including said cavity, a flange inturned from said ferrule over said cover to retain the cover in fixed position, a drum rotatably positioned within said cavity on a transverse shaft, a plurality of electrical contacts spaced one from the other on said drum, upper contact fingers carried by said cover and each connected with said terminal to extend yieldingly against said drum in the paths of said contacts, lower contact fingers fixed in said cavity to be pressed yieldingly against said drum, whereby said drum contacts selectively interconnect said upper and lower fingers electrically with said terminal upon suitable rotation of said drum, a ratchet mechanism for rotating the drum, a ratchet operating member extending from said base below said ferrule, a separate filament being provided in said lamp for and in electrical connection with each of said lower fingers, and all of said filaments being electrically connected with said ferrule, said lower fingers being insulated one from the other, and said drum contacts being spaced both laterally and circumferentially to give a switching arrangement whereby said filaments may be connected one at a time between said terminal and said ferrule or a pair of the filaments interconnected between the terminal and ferrule in parallel relation,

4. In a multiple filament lamp having a base of insulation with a cavity therein, an insulating cover closing said cavity, an axial terminal extending through the cover, a metallic sleeve ferrule for socket attachment fitting over and secured to said base around that portion thereof including said cavity, a flange inturned from said ferrule over said cover to retain the cover in fixed position, a drum rotatably positioned within said cavity on a transverse shaft, a plurality of electrical contacts spaced one from the other on said drum, upper contact fingers carried by said cover and each connected with said terminal to extend yieldingly against said drum in the paths of said contacts, lower contact fingers fixed in said cavity to be pressed yieldingly against said drum, whereby said drum contacts selectively interconnect said upper and lower fingers electrically with said terminal upon suitable rotation of said drum, a ratchet mechanism for rotating the drum, a ratchet operating member extending from said base below said ferrule, a separate filament being provided in said lamp for and in electrical connection with each of said lower fingers, and all of said filaments being electrically connected with said ferrule, said cavity being rectangular in cross section and a member on said cover extending into said cavity against walls thereof to maintain said upper fingers in alignment with said drum contacts.

5, In a multiple filament lamp having a base of insulation with a cavity therein, an insulating cover closing said cavity, an axial terminal extending through the cover, a metallic sleeve ferrule for socket attachment fitting over and secured to said base. around that portion thereof including said cavity, a flange inturned from said ferrule over said cover to retain the cover in fixed position, a drum rotatably positioned within said cavity on a transverse shaft, a plurality of electrical contacts spaced one from the other on said drum, upper contact fingers carried by said cover and each connected with said terminal to extend yieldingly against said drum in the paths of said contacts, lower contact fingers fixed in said cavity to be pressed yieldingly against said drum, whereby said drum contacts selectively interconnect said upper and lower fingers electrically with said terminal upon suitable rotation of said drum, a ratchet mechanism for rotating the drum, a ratchet operating member extending from said base below said ferrule, a separate filament being provided in said lamp for and in electrical connection with each of said lower fingers, and all of said filaments being electrically connected with said ferrule, said operating member consisting of a lever pivoted at one side of said base to extend thereacross through a slot and having an arm extending upwardly within the base into said cavity to engage said ratchet mechanism, and a lever return spring carried in said slot.

FLETCHER A. WILKINS. 

